OLIVER PAIPOONGE — As rainfall amounts remain disconcertingly low in many parts of the Thunder Bay region, the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge is reminding its residents that burning outdoors during the day is a no-no.
A reminder notice on the municipality's website says daytime burning won't be permitted until further notice "due to current weather conditions."
When weather is not a factor, "our permit allows for daytime burning outside the (forest) fire season with fire-chief approval," Oliver Paipoonge fire Chief Sean Horan said in an email on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Environment Canada has confirmed that September and October have been among the driest in memory for Thunder Bay.
The city received a paltry 7.2 millimetres of rain in September, a record for low rainfall for that month. The previous record was set in 1997, when Thunder Bay received only 22 millimetres.
"It's been a pretty dry start to fall," Toronto-based meteorologist Geoff Coulson remarked.
"October has been wetter, but still well below normal," Coulson said.
Though the city received six millimetres of rain on Wednesday morning, that brought the total amount to date to 34 mm, or just over half of the normal amount for the entire month.
Last year, Thunder Bay received only 25.2 millimetres in October.
No significant accumulation was predicted, Coulson said.
Coulson added that the first week of November is expected to see a return to seasonal temperatures. The normal high for Thunder Bay at this time of year is 6 C.
Forest fire season officially ends on Oct. 31. Despite the dry conditions during late summer and early fall; the season was fairly light this year compared to the one in 2023, which was one of the worst in memory.
The Chronicle Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
